Reviews

The Lies That Bind by Kate Carlisle

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retrogirl20's review

mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This series is thankfully getting better, but there also seems to be an abnormally large amount of murders for such a small murder mystery novel. Seems like an odd ratio…

The Lies That Bind
4 Stars

Book restorer, Brooklyn Wainwright, is caught up in another mystery when the director of the center hosting her class is murdered. The victim, Layla Fontaine, was rude, manipulative and deceitful, so it is no surprise when the suspects start piling up. Nevertheless, Brooklyn is determined to investigate, especially when someone close to her is targeted.

A definite improvement on book #2.

Brooklyn is a likable heroine although she has one or two questionable moments in this installment. The fact that she was willing to

Spoiler

overlook Layla’s blatant fraud scheme

put me off her character somewhat. The developments in her romance with Derek are entertaining and it looks like they are finally getting somewhere. Gabriel’s character is also very intriguing as more details concerning his past are revealed.

The mystery and investigation are well-developed and the victim certainly had it coming. That said, the identity of the villain is obvious mainly due to the fact that there is something off about them from the start.

In terms of the writing, the information on book binding techniques is interesting, especially for a book lover, but there are times where it feels overdone and seems like unnecessary filler. Moreover, the dialogue can be clunky.

Eileen Stevens’ narration is good although she really needs to pick up the pace.

All in all, the cozy mystery plots, quirky characters and light romance make the Bibliophile Mystery series an entertaining experience.

ewil6681's review

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lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

peggyemi's review

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4.0

This is another series that has been on my TBR list for way too long. Earlier this year I finally started the series and enjoy it. It is a little edgier than some of the cozy mysteries out there, in terms of the language. There is swearing, which I know some cozy readers find objectionable. I love that this is book related and that Brooklyn has a unique occupation - she is a bookbinder and she repairs/restores old books. She is probably one of the most unlucky main characters of any series I've read. If there is a dead body, there is a 100% chance that she will find it or stumble across it. There is a large cast of secondary characters, and I really like it when the reader gets a chance to visit with her family. There are all unique and add to the flavor of the story. I like that Brookly is a bit self-deprecating, but I would love to see a bit more growth in her characters and little less focus on herself. I like her romance with Derek and hope they they will settle a bit more in future books so the romance isn't so prominent. I thought the mystery was solid and that the author provided sufficient suspects and clues to keep the reader guessing. I have the next two books on my bookshelf and will hopefully get to those in the near future.

rebeccaelizabeth94's review against another edition

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I usually love Kate Carslie books. Her Shannon Hammer series is great. The characters have fun jobs that they take time away from to solve mysteries. This was however one of my least favorite ones. I almost stopped it so many times. Brooklyn is even more annoying this time around. She is constantly making snide comments about women she feels act too outwardly sexy, yet her inner monologue is all about how she wants to have sex with Derek. She isn’t a girl’s girl and it’s 2023. And don’t even get me started with her absolute love of Derek but her inability to tell him they should hook up or get together. She gets jealous when other women flirt with him but won’t admit to him much less herself how she feels about him. He isn’t great at communicating with her either but if he has 814 employees then why is he always getting called to work? Let a henchman take a turn. I also can’t stand how despite the plethora of negative traits Minka has Brooklyn chooses to pick at her weight at all times. Then when Alice says she went to catholic school Brooklyn thinks the worst of the school. For someone who grew up in a hippie love everyone commune she sure has lots of options on how other people live.
Overall the mystery was solid in concept. A ring of book thieves is awesome for a storyline. Especially with forgeries it gave White Collar in theory but struggled in reality. I read another review that said the trip to Dharma was unnecessary and I have to agree. I realize that it let to Gabriel getting shot but it was out there. The author does a lot of extensive telling rather than letting the reader fill in the blanks. There’s a lot about book binding that could have been clipped for time but that might just be because bakers or construction talk is more widely done so it doesn’t feel too much. But there are so many characters that it’s hard to keep everyone straight at all times. I guessed the killer early in the story. I’ve heard this is the worst one in the series and it gets better but I might need a break from Brooklyn the whiner for a while.